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Leh is the Capital of the Ladakh, and the largest town of
the region. It is located to the north of the Indus River at an
elevation of 3600m above the sea level. The town is dominated by
the nine-storey Namgyal Palace and Namgyal Tsemo (victory peak),
built by Tashi Namgyal on his victorious in reunification of the
Upper and Lower Ladakh.
In the later period, Leh became an important center for trade in
Central Asia. Leh remained merely a headquarter of Ladakh
district until 1974, when Ladakh was opened for foreign
tourists. Since then period Leh became the centre for tourism
related activities in the region.
Leh is also a good base for longer day trips out into the Indus
Valley. Among the string of picturesque villages and Gompas
within reach by bus are Shey, site of a derelict 17th century
palace, and the Spectacular Tikse Gompa.
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